Family Reunion Surprises by Shant

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Upon graduating from college I was offered a job on the west coast. I was excited to be moving so far away from home and starting out on my own. It took no time to fall in love to be living near the ocean and working outside all year long.

My Dad had been the head basketball coach at my school. He was a great guy and a great coach. He had one steadfast rule however that he would not let anyone break. All his ball players had to wear their hair short during basketball season.

He felt that we represented our school and his team was going to look sharp and stand apart from other team’s that were not as disciplined as we were and that’s just the way it was going to be. If you wanted to play ball, you kept your hair cut. If he caught you with your bangs touching your eyebrows, you would be sitting in a chair in his office in no time, and he would chop them off.

Growing up, on the first day of each month, he would get out his clippers and give me a crewcut. No matter how much I pleaded with him to let me grow my hair out like all my friends, he refused. Even when I went to college, I was only able to grow it out a little because it was such a hassle arguing with him every time I went home. I don’t know why he was so against long hair. I mean, it was just hair!

Moving away, gave me the chance to do something that for nearly twenty years I had always dreamed of doing, growing my hair long. Never having had hair more than an inch long made me even more determined to grow it as long as I could, wondering what it would look like. I decided I was going to keep growing it until I decided that it was too long and I didn’t want it that way anymore. Who knew how long it would get to be?

Almost three years had passed since I had moved west. During that entire time I had not cut my hair, other than getting the ends trimmed a little. I could now comb it all back and I braided it so that it was not a problem when working outside.

I knew that I had good hair. Our family had originally come from Scotland and almost all the men had the same identical hair, thick, sandy blond color, slightly wavy, and with great body. We all knew how fortunate we were to have it.

I had not been back east since starting work and no one knew that I had let my hair grow. My dad was really going to flip out when he saw it. I dreaded the confrontation I knew we would have, but yet part of me actually looked forward to seeing him getting all hot and bothered because of my hair. I no longer lived under his roof or was financially dependent upon him so I felt that he no longer had a say in what I did, including how I chose to wear my hair.

Our family was having our yearly reunion in the spring. It was held during the busiest time of the work year for me, and being new at my job, I had missed the last two reunions. I really did enjoy seeing everyone and decided that after working three years that I wanted to go this year and hoped my boss would say it would be okay. Sure enough, when I asked him, he said to take all the time I wanted, and just go and have a great time.

My Dad was not going to be at the reunion because of a basketball tournament he had to attend, so we made plans that I would stay a few more days so we could spend some time together.

I really did want to see my father, but had to admit that it would be a lot easier not seeing him at the reunion with all the family there. I knew what was going to happen when he saw my hair. I also knew that since I was no longer a child under his influence, I was not just going to stand there and let him lecture me. I had never had the nerve to speak back to him before, but he was now going to discover that just because he said something was going to be a certain way, didn’t necessarily mean that it would be.

One thing I was especially looking forward to about the reunion was seeing my Uncle Don. He was only slightly older than I was. I was 25, making him about 33.

While growing up we did not get to see each other often because we lived on opposite sides of the state. Whenever we did get together we really had a good time hanging out. Neither of us had siblings, so it was like he was the older brother I had always wanted and I was the kid brother he had wished he could have had.

I remember going to his home once when I was in my early teens. He was in the Navy at the time so I did not get to see him. I did however get to see his senior portrait. You should have seen his hair! I had never seen anything like it!

This was pre-Beatle era and the pompadour was still the hairstyle that was most popular. Uncle Don’s hair was very blond, with blonder highlights, extremely thick, and with great texture and body. He didn’t just have great hair. He had glorious hair!

He had his hair all swept up and back into the most elaborate pompadour I had ever seen. The sides were very long but he did not allow them to touch his ears and they were combed back where they met together, forming the most perfect D.A.

The top however was what was so striking. It must have been over eight inches long. He did not comb it just up and then straight back like most guys did. Instead, he combed his hair so that he had the most incredible wave. He brushed his hair towards the front and then swept it all back before reaching its full heighth. It really did remind you of an ocean wave. His hair was so thick that it never moved out of place. Most guy’s hair did not have enough body to stand up like that. I had never seen anyone with hair that amazing before.

I was mesmerized by his picture. I think it was then and there that my hair fetish began. My hair was similar to his, but being only an inch long, looked nothing like his did. Whenever I saw him, I wished I could grow my hair out, hoping maybe it would look that good, if my dad would only let me grow it out.

Uncle Don was a barber. I remember him always having fairly long hair. I wondered how he wore his hair now. I had never seen him with short hair before. He was not all that old, so it really wouldn’t surprise me to see him still having his hair long, especially because he really did look great with it. All the time we were growing up I always knew how much he loved his hair. I don’t think I ever saw him without a comb within his reach.

I couldn’t wait to see what his reaction was going to be when he saw my hair now. He had never seen it over an inch long and I wondered if he would say anything to me about it.

I got to the picnic the first day of the reunion and shortly after arriving, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and it was Uncle Don, but he looked nothing like the Uncle Don I had expected to see. He had cut his long hair down into a perfectly square, long boxy flattop! He looked really hot and looked totally different from the way I had last seen him. Uncle Don was a handsome man and the flattop made him look even more striking than he did when his hair was long.

"It’s about time my favorite nephew showed up! I heard that you were going to be here this year and I was hoping I would get to spend some time with you. It’s been way too long since we last got together. I can’t wait to hear all about the work you’re doing and what you’ve been up to," he said, all the while obviously eyeing my hair. I could tell that it had made an immediate impression on him. It didn’t look like he disapproved though, instead by the smile on his face, it looked more like he was thinking about how much he would enjoy cutting it all off!

"Uncle Don, I almost didn’t recognize you without your long hair. That flattop looks great on you. Have you worn it for a long time?" I asked. "The last time I saw you was three years ago and your hair was almost touching your shoulders. I was so in awe of it, but I think the flattop looks even better on you!"

"We now look just the opposite of how we looked then. I remember seeing you with your long flowing hair and wishing that my father would let me grow my hair out like yours, but he always made me cut it short. I was so envious that you were allowed to let your hair grow and I had to look like such a nerd all the time."

"Did you ever think you would see me with hair like this? It’s certainly surprised just about everyone here so far. As soon as I moved, I started growing it out. I was wondering what you were going to think when you saw it."

"That’s really one great head of hair you have there," Uncle Don said. "How long has it taken to get it to that length? How much longer are you going to grow it out?"

"It’s been almost three years since I last got a real haircut, other than having someone just trim the ends for me. Once I was no longer under Dad’s control, I decided to grow it out and see how long I could get it to be. Remember my hair had never been more than an inch long all the time growing up and I had always wondered what I would look like with long hair. As soon as I got the chance, I decided I was going to see how long I could grow it. So, tell me the truth, as a barber, what do you think of it?" I asked him.

"Man, it really is awesome! You definitely have the family hair. When the time comes and you decide to cut it, I want you to promise to call me and I will come and cut it for you. I’m serious. I love cutting great hair and yours looks so amazing that it would be really fantastic to cut it for you. You being my nephew makes it even more special," he said. "I can’t imagine having a greater time than cutting that tremendous mane of yours."

"I really don’t know how much longer I’ll let it grow," I said. "It’s starting to be a bit of a hassle, especially when it is really hot and I’m outside working. I don’t like putting it all up under a hat, and if I just tie it back in a ponytail, it’s always getting in the way. Wearing it in a braid is about the only way that I can keep it to stay in place when I’m working because the braid is so thick and heavy that it doesn’t move. We really are lucky to have such thick hair in our family. I love it, but by the end of the day, it’s soaking wet and looks like a total mess," I said.

"But tell me more about that flattop you have. I can’t imagine you ever cutting your long hair that short but it really looks awesome! It makes you look so manly! How long was your hair when you got it cut? I would really like to have been there to have seen that! I can’t imagine all your beautiful long hair getting cut off all at once! Were you at all nervous about doing it?"

"I got a flattop over a year ago and I plan on keeping it for quite awhile. My hair wasn’t as long as it was when you last saw me, but it still covered my ears and was a couple inches below my collar when I got it cut."

"I saw a picture of a guy with a flattop and started thinking maybe it was time for me to make a change regarding my own hair. It had been long forever and I guess I was just used to having it like that. I also knew that secretly I was afraid of what people would say when they first saw it cut so short."

"Once I finally did decide to get up the nerve and get it cut, I was surprised that I didn’t miss it at all, especially after having had it long for so many years. I have to admit though, it was a tremendous rush seeing it all come off and fall into my lap in just a matter of minutes! When the barber started at the front, I thought I was really going to freak out! You would not believe how much hair there was on the floor when he finished!"

"Long hair styles were starting to lose their popularity and more and more guys were getting shorter and shorter haircuts. Being a barber, I decided it would be a smart move for me to change how I wore my hair and sport something that looked a little more current. I also thought that maybe it would attract some new customers, especially younger guys. Their hair is definitely the most fun to cut!"

"There is nothing I enjoy more than taking a long haired guy down short and giving him a totally new look. Getting to see all his beautiful hair get cut off is what a barber always wants to do more than anything. Most guys become barbers because they really want to cut off long hair. You wouldn’t believe how many guys have come into my shop and after seeing my hair, decide they want to go flat too."

Our family reunion lasted three days and Uncle Don and I spent a lot of time hanging out together. We had hotel rooms next to each other and when the reunion ended for the evening, we’d go back to our rooms, have a few more drinks, smoke a little pot and chill out a while longer.

The second night we were there, Uncle Don asked if he could untie my braid and brush my hair out to see what it looked like full and not all just tied back. Seeing that he was a barber, I thought nothing of it, and told him to go ahead and do whatever he liked. Actually, I knew that I would enjoy having him do it.

I told him that I had always wished when we were growing up that I could have had hair long enough for him to cut. No one, other than my dad, had ever cut my hair until after I graduated from high school.

"One thing I discovered years ago," Uncle Don said, "While you’re growing your hair out to the length you want it to be, you can have a lot fun combing it different ways all the time, especially if you are lucky enough to have really great hair. I’m not bragging or anything, but one thing I knew for certain was that I had really great hair."

"People were always complimenting me on it and telling me how fantastic it looked. I have always loved my hair. Rarely did I meet someone that had better hair than I did. I changed the way I combed it all the time while growing it long. My hair would do just about anything that I wanted. It was always fun changing the way it looked."

"Once it gets to the point that your hair is really long like you wanted, you usually discover that all you can basically do with it is tie it back in a ponytail to keep it out of your face."

"It’s actually ironic, the whole idea of growing your hair long is to show it off, but once you finally get it to the length you want it to be, you realize that you can’t do much with it other than tie it back. If it’s always tied back, you never even get to see for yourself how great it looks, and you rarely get the chance to show it off to anyone."

"I think after some time passes, most guys begin to realize it’s just not worth all the extra trouble having long hair, so they go ahead and get it cut. Every guy should grow his hair out at least once in his life, just for the experience. It’s like a right of passage," Uncle Don said.

"I actually think my flattop shows off my hair better than it did when it was long. Now you can really see how thick it is and what great body it has. You don’t get to see it like that if it is all tied back. I realized that I could show off my hair a lot more if it were shorter and one thing I always enjoyed doing was show off my hair."

"If you ever do get a flattop you have to get it cut a lot more often, especially if you want to keep it looking really sharp. I’m sure that at some point I’ll probably grow my hair out again because if you don’t cut it about every two weeks, it starts looking shabby and doesn’t look all that good anymore. My ponytail days are definitely over though."

I had always wanted Uncle Don to cut my hair but I really never had hair long enough for him to cut. Here now was the perfect opportunity, but did I really want to cut my hair, especially after taking so long to get it to this length? And did I really want to cut it as short as Uncle Don’s because I was pretty sure that was what he wanted to do?

I had been planning on letting my hair grow out a few more months, and I was certain I was going to cut it before the summer work season started which wasn’t all that far from now. I had thought about not really getting very much cut off though. But it really was getting to be a bother and I was beginning to get tired of it… and Uncle Don was right when he said that basically all you can really do with long hair is tie it back.

I thought more about Uncle Don cutting my hair. If I did grow it out for two more months, it would only be an inch longer than it now was, and with it being tied back almost all the time, I wouldn’t even notice that it was longer. Maybe I should just go ahead and let Uncle Don cut it for me. I definitely knew that he really wanted to do it!

I then thought that he probably didn’t bring his clippers with him. In a way that eliminated the anxiety I was feeling about getting a haircut, especially a really short one. It also made me think that I could have a little fun with Uncle Don and tease him a bit and let him actuallly think that I might let him cut my hair. I enjoyed leading him on a little, and wanted to see what kind of haircut he would really like to give me.

As he was brushing my hair, I said to him, "When I do decide to get rid of this hair, if I told you that you could cut it any way you wanted, how would you cut it? What do you think would look best?"

"You definitely have the family hair," he said. "Actually, your hair is practically identical to mine. I remember my hair being just like this when I had it long. It is so thick and has such great body that any way you cut it will look good," he said with a slight smile. I knew that he was trying to encourage me to let him cut it. I could tell from the look on his face that while I was having a little fun reeling him in, he was starting to think that he actually might just get the opportunity to cut my hair, especially if he played his cards right.

I enjoyed the time we spent together and I’m sure the cocktails and the pot didn’t hurt any. I decided to play with him just a bit more and see how excited I could get him, especially if he thought he really was going to get to cut my hair.

"So, seriously, how would you cut my hair? What do you think would really look good? Do you think it’s getting too long?" I asked, egging him on more.

"I wouldn’t want to cut your hair and have it end up with you not liking it, but if you said it was okay for me to cut it however I wanted, to be totally honest, there is nothing I would love more than to give you a haircut just like mine. Like I said, you and I have practically the same hair, and I could cut yours and it would end up looking almost exactly the way mine does, if that’s what you wanted."

"You said my flattop looked awesome, so why not get your hair cut the same way? You already know how it will look by just looking at mine. I think that you’re just afraid what people might say, but I’ve discovered we worry way too much about what we think other people think. Most people already have enough on their minds to even think about how our hair looks."

"I was that way when I first thought about cutting my hair really short. I think you know how much I love my hair and that I’m very attached to it. I certainly never had thought I would cut it really short because I loved my long hair way too much to consider cutting it almost all off!"

"Eventually I decided that really, what was the big deal about making a change and going short for awhile? It’s only hair, and I could always grow it long again. Even though I loved my hair long, I knew that I would enjoy growing it out again and getting to comb it all different ways. It was actually fun growing it out."

"I made up my mind that I was going to get up enough nerve and go ahead and do it. I can’t tell you how psyched I got when on the spur of the moment, I walked into the barbershop where I got my hair cut, knowing that I was going to go through with what I had been thinking about doing for so long!"

"I told Joe, who had been cutting my hair for years, how I wanted him to cut my hair this time. He looked so shocked when I told him what I wanted him to do."

"Are you really sure you want to do that? I’ve been cutting your hair for almost ten years and you have never had me cut it anywhere near that short," Joe said. "You have such great hair. I always enjoy cutting it because it really is fantastic. I’d hate to see you take it all off, but if that’s what you want me to do, I’ll do it for you. Actually it will be a great experience to give you a short haircut. I rarely get to cut anyone with such beautiful hair that short."

"Go ahead and do it!" I said. "I am tired of having looked the same way for so long and I think it’s time for a big change! Get your clippers going and take it down the way I told you how I want it to look!"

"I don’t want to hear you complain if you don’t like it once I’m finished, but if you tell me one more time to go ahead and cut it, I’ll be glad to have a go at it. It’s really going to be an amazing change. You’re going to end up looking entirely different, which is what you said you want to do!" Joe said.

"He brushed my hair all straight back all the while telling me how wonderful my hair was and how he was going to miss it. He took the clippers and the first thing he did was cut off almost all the front of my hair, leaving it maybe a little over an inch long. While I was sitting in the chair, I couldn’t believe that this was really happening and that I was really doing it! I watched all my long hair that I loved so much getting cut really short! I thought I would be dreading the haircut, but I ended up being really excited watching it happen. Ever since then I’ve kept it cut that way. I really like it a lot and when I’m ready, I’ll just grow it out again. Like I said, it’s only hair."

"I think you’d probably react the same way too. You’re obviously very much into your hair and it’s easy to see why. You really do have a beautiful head of hair. What would you think about having me go ahead and give you a flattop like mine? I really want to do that more than anything!"

"Man, that would be quite a haircut. Once I started growing it out I knew that at some point in time I wanted you to cut it for me. I have always liked the idea of my uncle giving me a haircut. I’ve thought about it many times. You probably didn’t bring your clippers with you though, did you? I guess we’ll have to wait until the next time we get together," I said, thinking that would be the end of the conversation.

"I sure did!" Uncle Don said with a big smile on his face. "I’d love to cut that hair of yours. It would be great fun, but I don’t want to just chop it all off at once. I want to cut it down a couple ways so we can see how different you can look."

"How’d you like to have a pompadour like I had in my senior picture? I remember you once telling me how great you thought my hair looked in that picture and wished your hair could look like that. I could cut your hair to look exactly like that pompadour and then we could cut it down shorter, into the flattop."

The thought of that was actually pretty exciting and I could feel myself getting eager to have him go ahead and do it. I knew that I would always regret it if I passed up this opportunity and didn’t have Uncle Don cut my hair at least one time in my life. But did I really have the nerve to go through with it and cut almost all my hair off, especially after finally getting it this long? But, then again, his flattop sure did look fantastic!

"I’m still not sure if I want to go ahead and do that, but if I did let you cut my hair, I wouldn’t want to do it until after the reunion is over. I’d hate having to deal with everyone’s reaction when they saw it. I got fawned over enough yesterday just for showing up this year. The last thing I want is to be the center of attention all day long."

"I totally understand," Uncle Don said. "The reunion ends tomorrow afternoon. We’re both staying tomorrow night because it will be too late to start out on the long drive we both have ahead of us. How about if we wait until the reunion is over and then you let me cut it for you tomorrow night?"

"I’m not promising anything, but I will think about letting you cut it. I don’t think I want to cut it as short as yours is though. I just need to decide how much hair I want you to take off."

"I think that’s a great idea and it will give us something to look forward to doing tomorrow night," Uncle Don said. I could tell he already thought he was going to get to do whatever he wanted, and he couldn’t wait to do it!

The next day passed fairly fast. Every once in awhile, Uncle Don would walk by me and would quietly say something like, "Have you made up your mind to let me cut that pretty boy hair of yours? You know how bad I want to do it!" or "Come on! Get your nerve up and let me give you a flattop just like mine! You know that you really want one because you think mine looks so awesome, but you’re just afraid to go ahead and do it! I’d love to run my clippers up the sides of your head and see all that beautiful hair you are so in love with fall to the cape!"

I knew he was just having fun with me and was kidding around, but I was starting to think maybe I would let him give me a very short haircut, maybe even the flattop like the one he had. It would definitely be something that I would always remember!

The reunion ended early in the afternoon. Uncle Don and I went out for an early dinner and then headed back to the hotel. The entire time we were out, he never mentioned my hair and I thought that probably last night was just the alcohol and pot talking, and that he had forgotten all about it. Boy, was I ever wrong!

As soon as we got back to the room, he closed the door and said to me, "So, are you ready for your haircut, because I’m really ready to give you one! You can’t imagine how much I have wanted to cut those long beautiful locks of yours from the first moment I saw them! I never expected you to have such long hair and I knew that I just had to be the one to cut it for you when you were ready to get it cut!" he said. "I just didn’t expect that it was going to be so soon! Come on, let me give you a flattop like mine! You’re only 25 so you have plenty of years ahead of you to grow it out again!"

"Whoa! You really can’t wait to get me in your chair, can you? I think maybe I’ll need another drink and a couple hits on that joint if I’m going to get up enough nerve to actually let you cut my hair, especially if you cut it short like yours."

"I know I said earlier that I was getting tired of my hair being long and that I would probably want to get it cut soon, but what you’re talking about is taking off over two years of growth! I really don’t know if I want to do anything that drastic. Are you really serious about wanting to give me a flattop like yours or are you just kidding around with me?" I said.

"Oh no, I definitely want to cut all that wonderful hair off and have it end up looking just like mine! I can’t wait to give you your very own first time flattop!"

"Cutting someone a flattop for the very first time is probably the most fun a barber can have, especially if the guy has the hair to wear a flattop and you certainly have that! I bet it will end up being one of the best looking flattops I have ever given."

"I don’t think that I have ever cut anyone’s hair that is as long and beautiful as yours into a square boxy flattop. It would be the ultimate haircut experience for me! I’m super stoked about cutting your hair! Come on, let me give you a flattop! I bet that after you cut it, you’ll end up liking it so much that you will keep it that way for quite awhile and then you can have fun growing it out all over again."

"I don’t know why, but I always knew that I wanted to be a barber. I don’t know what it is about a guy having a great head of hair, but whenever I saw a guy with great hair I definitely wanted to cut it for him. Probably around eighth grade I started cutting all my buddie’s hair. They were really glad to have me cut it instead of having their dad’s continue doing it."

"I remember when we did get together at family reunions, I always wanted to get you in a chair and cut your hair. Your hair was so short though that I really couldn’t do all that much with it, but I think I could have given you a shorter version of the flattop I’m going to give you tonight."

"I sometimes even thought about letting you brush my hair for me. I really like having my hair brushed and I thought you might like to do that. I wonder why it is that both of us, at such early ages, had such a strong interest in guy’s hair? Must be something in our genes I guess. If my hair were long now, I’d let you brush it, if you wanted."

"I don’t care how long your hair is, I’d still like to brush it," I said to him. "I’d like to see how good a job I can do combing your flattop into place. Maybe if I do that, it might just give me the courage to go ahead and let you give me a flattop too," I said.

"Sounds good to me," Uncle Don said. "You go ahead and brush my hair and when you’re finished, we’ll give you your very first flattop!" I could tell that he was definitely not going to give up on the idea of cutting my hair to look like his.

As I was brushing his hair I told him, "You know you were right about me always being into hair too. I have no idea why, but just like you, at about the age of twelve, I started noticing other guy’s hair. If someone had suggested to me to go to barber school after I had finished high school, I probably would have considered it. I really didn’t go to college with any particular career in mind. I think I would have really enjoyed being a barber. Who knows, if you had been around at that time, you might have talked me into going to barber school."

"I cut all my friend’s hair in high school too. When I went to college, I joined a fraternity, and after cutting a couple guy’s hair for them, I ended up becoming the fraternity barber for the next four years. I cut about 50 different guy’s hair every year, over 200 in all. This was a great time to cut hair because just about everyone had long hair then and they usually would cut it short just before going home at the end of the semester. Cutting all that long hair off was a blast! The more hair they had, the more fun I had! I miss that I don’t get to do that anymore."

Even though I knew that I had not yet committed myself to letting Uncle Don cut my hair, I was pretty sure that I was going to go ahead and let him give me the haircut he so badly wanted to give me.

After I finished combing his flattop, I took a huge drag on the joint and said, "Okay, let’s get started on this haircut, and you better start doing it before I change my mind!" I was scared to death and yet, excited at the same time.

Uncle Don was ecstatic! This was such a total surprise for him. He said, "I want to start by washing your hair. With it being pulled back and braided so tightly, so much of that great body you have has been pressed tightly against your head and is not standing out as much as it can. I’ll then blow dry it and we can actually see how full it really is."

"You’re in charge! Go ahead and do whatever you want," I said. Uncle Don had me lean over the bathtub and began washing my hair. "I never expected you to show up with all this fantastic hair you have and I never dreamed your hair would ever be this long!" he said.

"I can’t imagine what your father would say if he saw it like this. Actually this is the perfect time to get it cut. You said you were planning on getting it cut soon and since you haven’t seen him in three years you can avoid knowing how he would react. It would be awful if you both just ended up arguing the whole time you were together."

"Your hair really is wonderful though," he said as he continued washing it. "I love running my hands through it and feeling how soft and thick it is. Actually, it makes me almost want to grow mine out again."

After he finished washing my hair, he took a towel and dried it a bit and then brushed it all up and back and then started using the blowdryer and continued brushing it until it was completely dry. I couldn’t believe how much my hair stood up! Talk about big hair! It was huge! It stood out way too much to ever wear out in public, but I had to admit my hair really did look awesome.

Uncle Don then said, "Just sit yourself back and get ready for one of the greatest experiences of your life! The thought never entered my mind about cutting anyone’s hair at our reunion, especially yours, because it was always so short and I assumed you still wore it that way. Man, was I ever wrong about that! Now here you sit and I am going to cut one of the most beautiful heads of hair that I have ever had sit before me."

"Your hair is probably one of the longest I have ever cut and it certainly is going to be the most hair I have ever cut off at one time into a flattop. Being my nephew also makes this really special for me. This is going to be wonderful for me, and I think it will be for you too!"

"Man, now let’s get started on this mane of yours!" he said. "I can’t wait any longer to cut it. I wish we had grown up living closer together because I bet I would have given you a lot of haircuts."

"We still hopefully have a lot of years ahead of us," I said. "If we’re lucky, we’ll end up having hair like most of the men in our family. Most of them still have full, thick heads of hair with hardly any receeding hairlines."

"If that happens, we’ll have several more family reunions to attend and I’ll always come and have you cut my hair for me. I’m even hoping you will let me cut your hair at some point. I’d love to be in charge of cutting off a couple inches of that hot looking hair of yours once you have grown it out again. It would really be great fun to do that!"

"Maybe we should plan it so that as our family reunion approaches, we both let our hair grow out and then we’ll have some extra fun when we get together. That would be something to really look forward to, cutting each other’s hair every year," I said.

"That’s a great idea," Uncle Don said. "I’d be totally comfortable having you cut my hair, especially knowing that you cut hair all through college. I’m certain you would do a good job and I know that I would enjoy watching you cut it, and then it would be my turn to sit you in the chair and give you the haircut that I want to give you in return."

Uncle Don wasted no time once he had me back in the chair that was facing the mirror. He immediately caped me up again and brushed my long, thick hair one final time.

As I watched in the mirror, I thought to myself, "What the hell are you thinking? Your hair is beautiful! Someone compliments you almost every day! You know how envious most of your friends are about your hair. It’s by far your best feature. Why are cutting it all off? Are you doing this just to please Uncle Don?"

I realized a big part of me was doing it for that very reason, but it was also going to be an incredible experience seeing my hair get all cut off, something that I would probably never experience again.

"Okay, now we start," he said. "I’m going to give you that pompadour you liked so much. It will be great fun cutting your hair into that style. I sure haven’t cut anyone’s hair like that in years and with all that wonderful blond hair you have, it’s really going to look fantastic!"

He began by parting my hair on the left side and then brushing the top to the right and back. There was way too much hair on the sides to comb into anything that looked good.

He ran his hands from the front to the back over and over again. "Man, your hair really is incredible and there is just so much of it," he said. "My hair was like this when it was long too. This really does make me miss my long hair and maybe I really will start growing it out again. I’ve had the flattop for way over a year now. Maybe it’s time for a new look. What would you think about me growing my hair out long again? I bet you’d really enjoy playing barber then!" Uncle Don laughed.

"First we’ll start by getting rid of some of this bulk." He took his comb, sectioned off a lock on one side and chopped off almost ten inches! I thought I was going to spill my guts right then and there!

"Don’t worry, it’s going to end up looking great," he said, with a huge smile on his face. He continued sectioning off locks of hair and taking the same amount off the sides. This still left my hair about five inches long, plenty of hair to still brush back into the pompadour.

He then brushed all the top straight back, lifted it up and cut off about eight inches from the front all the way to the back. "Man, look at how much gorgeous hair is in your lap! I bet you can really feel the difference. Look at how great your hair looks standing up though. It stands up way more than it did when you pulled it back into that braid you had!"

He then wet my hair a bit and began cutting off a little more hair to shape it like his hair looked in his senior picture. I actually was fascinated seeing the hair coming off and how it was beginning to look more and more like his pompadour had. The sides were going to be really full and they were going to be swept up and back. I couldn’t wait to see how the top was going to look.

He didn’t cut much more off the top, and took his time making certain that it all blended perfectly together. When he finished cutting my hair, he wet it again and then rubbed some product in before he started combing my hair into the pompadour. I had never had anyone comb my hair like this before, much less into such an elaborate hairstyle.

I loved having him comb my hair and watching the pompadour become more and more polished looking! As he was getting close to finishing, he stood in front of me and began running his hands through my hair in order to make it not look so worked on. I had never had anyone do that before and I really wished he could keep doing it forever.

"It’s great fun combing your hair into this hairstyle. It’s wonderful the way it all sweeps up and back! I haven’t cut someone’s hair like this in years. It reminds me of how my hair used to be when I was in school and how much I loved it. Practically every guy in school envied my hair and I knew it! I was never outwardly vain about it, but I really was into my hair!" Uncle Don laughed.

I loved the way it ended up looking, all slicked up and brushed back! It really did show off my hair much more than when it was long. Actually if it did not stand out so much I would love to keep it this way, but it would attract way too much attention and it would never look like this because I was always outside working. If I were living back in the time when guys wore their hair like this, I would have worn it with pride!

Uncle Don got out his camera and said, "We definitely have to take some pictures of this! I don’t want you to forget how great your hair looked combed into a pompadour." He took dozens of photos from all different angles. I was really glad he had thought of taking pictures because I knew I would always want to remember how my hair looked right at this very moment.

"And now we go for the biggest cut of all! This flattop is going to be by far the most dramatic haircut you’ve ever experienced, despite all the hair I have already cut off. There is still going to be a tremendous amount to remove and add to the pile in your lap!"

"Seeing how much you enjoyed getting the pompadour, I think has pretty much eliminated any fear you will have about getting a flattop. Losing all that pretty boy hair will really be something to watch! I know you’re going to be anxious to see how a flattop is going to look on you. You’ll also be surprised how so little as an inch of hair can make such a big difference in how you look."

"If you’re anything like I was when I first got my flattop, you’re going to end up loving it and wishing that you had done it a long time ago. I’m so confident that you’re going to love this haircut, that if you don’t like it, I’ll let you take the clippers to me and buzz off my flattop, which you know I love!" Uncle Don said.

Uncle Don plugged his clippers in, put on the #2 guard, turned them on, and put them up against my left sideburn. The sound of the clippers so close to my head was terrifying, yet I was ready to have him go ahead and cut it. He slowly ran them up the sides sending huge amounts of hair to the cape.

He ran the clippers around to the other side, cutting off so much thick hair, all the while making certain that it all landed in my lap. This, added to all the hair he had already removed while cutting the pompadour, ended up with me having a mountain of blond hair in my lap, and he had yet to cut the top!

He then proceeded to take down the top, telling me in great detail what he was going to do. I didn’t think it was possible to get any more excited than I already was, but, boy, was I ever wrong! With my hair all brushed straight up and back and standing so tall, he took the clippers and placed them at the center of my forehead and ran them straight down the middle, until they reached the crown, leaving me with about an inch of hair on top and with it just a bit longer in the very front. At that point I really did think that I was going to pass out!

He continued to run the clippers from front to back, totally decimating all my precious locks. I couldn’t believe how much hair there was in my lap. I never would have believed I had that much hair on my head! I could easily see that Uncle Don was really enjoying himself. The smile on his face was huge!

He then said he wanted to turn me around so that I was no longer facing the mirror while he finished the haircut. He wanted me to not see the haircut until he was finished.

He then began blending the top into the sides and back. He used his wide tooth comb and ran it through my hair and any hair that stood above the heighth of the comb he removed. I could tell that the very front was going to be just long enough to brush back, but the rest felt like it was standing totally straight up and I didn’t feel like there was any hair on the sides left at all!

I already knew that I was going to love how it looked, but then my devious side took over and I thought maybe I would have a little fun with Uncle Don. I knew he was really pleased with how the flattop was looking and would never be expecting what I was planning to do.

"Are you ready to see the new you? I think this is probably the greatest flattop I have ever given. I hope you’re going to love it," he said.

He turned me around to face the mirror and said, "Well, what do you think? I told you it would end up looking exactly like mine and it really does. That’s probably why I think it looks so great! I think it’s the perfect haircut for you!"

I loved the haircut but I thought I’d really freak him out and knew I was going to have great fun while doing it. "Oh my God, Uncle Don, I don’t have any hair left at all! My ears are sticking out like clown ears! I’m going to have to wear a hat for at least two months before I won’t feel like everyone is staring at me! I can’t believe how great the haircut looks on you, but how dorky it looks on me! It reminds me of when my dad cut my hair! I’m sorry Uncle Don, but I really don’t like it! I guess a flattop isn’t the right haircut for me after all!"

You should have seen the look on his face! He went from beaming to looking totally crestfallen. "I’m so sorry!" he said. "I can’t believe you don’t like it because I think it looks fantastic, but you’re the one that is going to be wearing it. Fortunately, it will only take about eight weeks before you’ll be brushing it back again. It really won’t take all that long before it has grown out enough to do that."

This was followed with nothing but an awkward silence. I wanted to make sure Uncle Don was sweating a little and hoping that I would not want to buzz off his flattop like he said I could, if I didn’t like the way my haircut turned out. I was not going to let him off the hook that easily though. I really wasn’t going to cut his hair, I just wanted him to think that I was going to cut his hair!

As I got up from the chair, I told him he needed to have a seat and let me go ahead and give him the haircut he said I could if I didn’t like how my flattop looked.

"Oh, I really wasn’t serious when I said that," Uncle Don exclaimed. "I was just caught up in the moment and was so excited about how your haircut was turning out. I thought it looked exactly like mine. I didn’t think it was going to be possible for you to not like your flattop. You really wouldn’t make me cut all my hair off, would you? You know how much I love it!" he pleaded.

"What’s fair for one, is fair for us both," I said. "I lost over 15 inches of hair and you’re only going to lose one, so I hardly think that would be a big deal. And like you said, it will only take about eight weeks before you have it looking back like this again. That’s no time at all! Come on sit down! I can’t wait to see those square sides of yours getting cut off!"

Uncle Don realized I was determined to make him keep his word and reluctantly sat down and I caped him up. I brushed his flattop perfectly into place and then put my hand on the top of his head and tipped it to the left.

I put the clippers up to his sideburn and said, "Are you ready? Come on now, it’s not going to be all that big a deal! It’s only an inch of hair! This is going to be really fun for me to do and it will be something that you also will never forget!"

I knew he was dreading what was coming because I could see the pained look on his face and could see how tightly he was gripping the chair. I was really having a blast just toying with him! I was impressed though, realizing that he would actually keep his word and let me give him a buzzcut.

As I brought the clippers closer and closer to his head, I said practically the same words to him that he had said to me earlier, "Are you ready to see me cut almost all that pretty boy hair of yours off? I can’t wait to see it all in your lap!"

I turned the clippers on and moved towards him. The look of terror on his face was hilarious! I finally couldn’t keep myself from not bursting out laughing, and turned them off!

"You really thought I was going to do it, didn’t you? I just wanted to have a little more fun and make you squirm a bit! I know you loved talking me into cutting nearly all my hair all off, and I just wanted to do the same thing to you, and see how you liked it!" I said.

"I absolutely love my haircut! I really can’t believe how great it looks and how different it makes me look! I’m so glad that I went ahead and let you talk me into cutting it."

"You little devil!" Uncle Don said. "I couldn’t believe it when you said that you didn’t like the haircut, because it really does look so much like mine. I can’t tell you how pleased I am that you like the way it turned out! It really does look great and shows off your hair much more than having it all pulled back."

"I hope you’ll keep it like this for awhile and then you’ll enjoy growing it out again and cutting it into several different styles while you let it grow. I’ll enjoy getting to cut it for you whenever we get together!"

"Now, let’s get all this hair cleaned up and go out and celebrate your new look. You really do look handsome with it cut like that! What a great night this has been!" he said as he rubbed his hands over my head again and then brushed my flattop perfectly into place.

I was already looking forward to our next family reunion and wondering what our hair was going to look like then and hopefully next time we would both get to be in charge of the clippers! Uncle Don had already said he would be comfortable with me cutting his hair and he had definitely proven that by sitting down to let me buzz off his flattop. Payback would be so sweet!

I suggested we get together about every six months and cut each other’s hair. He thought that would be a great idea too because we were both so much into hair and we’d get to hang out together more often.

Oh yeah … and one other added bonus was that I now would no longer dread having to face my Dad tomorrow!

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